Location Info:

The Cheesman Park Art Fest is a two-day outdoor festival in one of Denver’s prized historic parks, featuring a juried selection of 115 artists from across the nation. This family-friendly celebration of the arts takes place in the heart of Capitol Hill, on the southwest roads of The three-year-old Cheesman Park Art Fest is young, but it’s growing. And if it’s still flying under the radar around town, it’s fast becoming a go-to festival for serious artists around the country.

Chalk that up to the vision and acumen of festival director Liz Gore, who’s been in the business her whole life. “I grew up in the art-festival industry, which is kind of a random upbringing,” she admits, explaining that her mother started and then ran three festivals in the Albuquerque area, where she grew up. Gore wanted to bring her talents to her own neighborhood (she lives near Cheesman) and envisioned a back-to-basics approach: an “old-fashioned arts and crafts fest,” with an emphasis on original work — all offerings must be artist-produced — and accessibility. “I wanted it to be approachable,” she explains, “so you can go in and come out with a $30 hand-bound leather book or a $3,000 painting.”

Find them both and much more July 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and July 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cheesman Park, Eighth Avenue and Franklin Street; the free festivities include live music, food trucks, art demos and fun stuff for kids. Visit dasheventsdenver.com for more information.

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